


Close Quarters Combat

by ReverseMousetrap



Series: After The Gold Rush [2]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, Innuendo, Just bros being bros, M/M, Post-Game(s), Sparring, Whats better than this, doing manly things, gayperion, that end up highly smutty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-05-03 13:07:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14569674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReverseMousetrap/pseuds/ReverseMousetrap
Summary: Learning to fight isn't everything that Rhys had envisioned. Vaughn offers him a massage to make up for it.





	Close Quarters Combat

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not gonna lie, this is a straight up excuse for self-indulgent smut. Featuring: innuendo, play-wrestling, massages and finally some fuckin'. 
> 
> Set after Memory Leak if you've read it, so basically they're living on Pandora and have recently hooked up.
> 
> Also, smut is still really difficult to write but at least I don't blush every time I type 'cock' anymore.

When he’d asked Vaughn to teach him how to fight, he’d had visions of sweaty, shirtless wrestling that somehow turned into wild, passionate sex every time. Instead, he was just even more aware than usual of his lack of hand-eye coordination and muscle mass.

By the time Rhys found himself crash-landing on the mat for the third time in ten minutes, he was starting to regret his decision. Aside from the part where he was soaked in perspiration, shirt clinging to him in all the grossest ways, it was the exact opposite of his fantasy. At least the place was empty and nobody else would have to know he was completely useless.

He breathed an inward sigh of relief when Vaughn finally came over to sit down beside him, barely a hair out of place. “Need a break?”

“Ugh…” he grumbled, torn between sounding tough and pleading for mercy. “I’m fine. Just fell on the bruise from the last round.” He rolled gingerly onto his right side and propped himself up on his elbow.

“You’ve gotta stop relying on the strength in that arm,” Vaughn reminded him sternly. “You need technique. Versatility.”

“It’s not fair. My centre of gravity is _way_ higher than yours,” said Rhys.

“Uh-huh.” The corner of Vaughn’s mouth twitched. “So you’re saying that if I did _this_ –”

He lunged across at Rhys in one fluid motion, straddling his hips and pinning him down by the shoulders.

“You’d be fine?”

Rhys’ mouth was suddenly dry, the stabbing ache in his back barely registering. “More than fine.” He rested his hands lightly on Vaughn’s wrists, making no effort to fight back.

“What would you do?” Vaughn asked casually, raising an eyebrow.

 _Probably consider myself the luckiest man in the universe,_ said a little voice in his head. There was no way Vaughn couldn’t know what he was doing.

“Come on, focus. Show me how you’d get me off,” he said.

Rhys made a strangled sort of moaning sound, unable to come up with anything more eloquent. The other man gave no sign that he’d heard, drumming his fingers patiently and waiting for a response.

“Okay. Well, I’d…”

He tightened his grip, careful not to squeeze too hard with his right hand, and tried to pull Vaughn’s solid arms aside. They didn’t budge an inch. Rhys kept up the effort for several seconds, trying to twist his entire body free at the same time, until eventually he gave up and let go with a huff. He couldn’t tell if his boyfriend was amused or just exasperated, his expression remaining neutral the whole time.

“You were distracting me,” he said lamely.

“Alright then,” said Vaughn, sitting up. “You get on top and I’ll show you how it’s done.”

“Oh my God, bro, you are _not_ helping!” groaned Rhys, covering his eyes as he felt the weight lift off him. All of his mental energy was being expended on thinking unsexy thoughts, until eventually he managed to collect himself long enough to swing one leg over and perch awkwardly on top of Vaughn’s rock-solid abdomen.

“Try holding me down. Make it harder for me.” The ghost of a smirk flitted across his face.

_“Gah!”_

Rhys complied almost out of sheer frustration, grabbing both of his wrists and shoving them forcefully to the floor.

“Whoa, you’d better save some of that energy –”

Unable to tolerate one more second of Vaughn’s innuendos, he dived in to shut him up with a kiss, and that was when gravity shifted and he was tossed aside like a weightless ragdoll.

The other man leaned over him and ruffled his hair affectionately.

“Psychological warfare,” he said by way of explanation. “Also, it’s mostly in the hips, not the arms.”

“I hate you,” Rhys grumbled.

“Good! That’ll help with the fifty combos I’m about to make you do.” Vaughn hopped up effortlessly and went to retrieve his focus pads. “Jab, jab, cross. Let’s go.”

\---

Somehow they made it back to Vaughn’s. By the time Rhys finally crawled out of the shower, unable to summon up the energy to suggest anything salacious or even get dressed, all he wanted to do was drag himself over to the bed and sleep for a thousand years. Tucking a pillow between his knees and burying his face in another, he let the soft surroundings welcome him home.

It could have been a few minutes or a few hours later when he felt a weight settle in beside him on the mattress, a warm hand coming to rest gently on his shoulder.

“How are you doing?” Vaughn asked quietly. His wet hair was tied back and he hadn’t bothered with a shirt. “Can I get you a protein bar or something?”

“Ugghhhh.”

“I _was_ a little rough on you. Maybe we can just get you a sidearm.”

“Hey, no, I can totally do this,” Rhys insisted, rolling over to face him and discovering how sore he was in the process, like all his muscles had banded together for a class action lawsuit. The pain caught him off guard, his breath escaping him in a low hiss.

Vaughn looked so guilty he almost felt sorrier for him than for himself. “Would a backrub help?” he asked, uncertain.

There was no way Rhys was going to decline the offer. Having Vaughn lay hands on him in peacetime again would certainly improve his mood, even if it did nothing for the consequences of his poor life choices. He made a positive sort of sound and rolled obligingly onto his stomach despite the torrent of internal resistance.

“You know what you’re doing?”

“Not a clue! Just…yell if I’m breaking anything.”

He could feel Vaughn place his hands on the small of his back either side of his spine, tentatively at first, then a little harder, thumbs sliding down a few inches while his fingertips tightened their grip. There was no real direction behind the motion, but even that first touch had a soothing effect; Rhys finally realised how much tension he'd been holding onto since his first attempt at a combat stance.

“Um, I think I’m going to have to sit on you,” said Vaughn after a few seconds. “That alright?”

“Oh, how will I survive,” Rhys murmured, grinning into the pillow.

From his new vantage point, Vaughn could reach all the way up to his neck, and after an accidental brush with his bruised-up shoulder blade that made him yelp out loud, he found himself starting to relax under the slow rhythm of Vaughn’s increasingly sure hands.

“Are you wearing silk boxers? ‘Cause they’re like…the most comfortable thing I’ve ever worn, even though I’m not wearing them.” The words came out slightly jumbled, all his attention occupied by the various sensations on his bare skin.

“Hey, you know I like the finer things in life.”

“Like me?” purred Rhys.

“Of course, babe.” It was accompanied by an affectionate squeeze on his waist. He chuckled to himself. Vaughn only called him that when his attempts at flirting were particularly lame.

The gentle pressure moving up and down his back had him feeling like he was melting. A lazy, satisfied half-moan slipped out of his mouth, hips shifting a little as he sank deeper into the sheets. He found himself almost whining out loud with disappointment when he felt Vaughn hesitate for a moment, until the other man redoubled his efforts.

“Yeah, s’right, don’t stop,” he mumbled.

Those hot hands were on his lower back again, gripping him a little harder than necessary, and Rhys suddenly became aware of Vaughn’s erection brushing against his ass.

In his blissfully relaxed state, it took a few moments to process the new information, but as soon as he realised what was happening his mind went from zero to sixty in an instant; they were together, in bed, with only a scrap of silk between them – and Vaughn was certainly already well aware. Biting his lower lip, Rhys arched up to press himself closer against the hard length, almost smirking as he heard a shaky exhale in response.

“Hey there,” he said, looking over his shoulder with his most seductive bedroom eyes.

“I can’t help it,” Vaughn blurted out. His cheeks were bright red. “You were making those _obscene_ noises.”

“What can I say? You’re good with your hands.”

Rhys rolled over to face him, no longer giving a damn about the pain that lingered throughout his body. He gazed up at his boyfriend, self-assured composure almost faltering when he saw the longing written plainly across Vaughn’s face – love and desire all wrapped up together in a way that made him feel like they were the only two people in the whole universe.

“Fuck me,” he breathed.

“Wh – what?”

“I want you to fuck me,” Rhys said, clearer this time.

Vaughn’s eyes went wide, like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You sure, bro?”

He thought privately that he had never been so sure of anything in his life. Reaching up with both hands, he pulled his boyfriend in for a slow, deliberate kiss, feeling his exposed cock twitch and stiffen against the luxurious silk.

“I’m gonna be sore tomorrow either way,” he said brightly. “Might as well have some fun."

Vaughn buried his face in his shoulder, inhaling deeply, and at last rolled off him to sit on the edge of the bed. “Right. Okay. This is happening,” he said mostly to himself, hands twisting in that familiar nervous way.

“Hey,” Rhys whispered gently. “It doesn’t have to. We can just –”

“No! I’ve been thinking about it. A lot.” He swallowed, glancing back at him. “But I wasn’t sure if you’d be up for it – and I didn’t want to, y’know, _presume_.”

“You could’ve asked.” Rhys ran one metal finger lazily up Vaughn’s back.

“Good with hands. Bad with words,” he said, almost apologetic as he stood up and hurried across the room.

“Oh, really? After that performance this morning?”

Vaughn was sorting through the contents of a nearby drawer, with an expression that Rhys recognised as a poor attempt to look calm. “I guess you’re rubbing off on me,” he muttered, distracted.

Rhys couldn’t help but snicker at that one, all the more because it sounded like a genuine slip, but when the other man came back with lube and a condom he started taking the situation a lot more seriously.

“You always were the organised one,” he said gratefully, sliding over to make more room on the sheets.

“Well, I was trying to be optimistic about my chances.” Tugging at his underwear with his free hand, Vaughn managed to slip out of them before clambering back onto the bed; Rhys eyed the thick curve of his cock admiringly, a mix of excitement and apprehension building in his chest. It had been a long time since he’d had anything _inside_ him, and he didn’t want to disappoint by not being able to take it.

“Seems a shame to cover it up,” he said, hoping his voice didn’t waver too much. “Wanna feel you.”

Vaughn raised an eyebrow, not looking up from where he was focussed on getting the condom on correctly. “You can feel whatever you like when we’re in _your_ bed.”

It wasn’t an argument he was going to win. He flopped back down onto the bed with a theatrical huff, but was soon distracted from his disappointment by warm hands nudging his thighs apart. He obliged eagerly, bucking into the air just a little when he felt Vaughn’s fingertips tracing along the delicate skin there.

“God, Rhys. I can’t believe…” He never finished the sentence, his reverent gaze turning into a trail of hot kisses across the sharp angle of Rhys’ hip, stopping just before they reached his aching cock.

“You tease,” he gasped.

“Patience,” said Vaughn, flashing him a wicked grin that made it difficult to breathe.

Rhys watched him slick up the fingers of his left hand with the same mathematical precision that he’d once given to month-end closing. Seeing Vaughn concentrate like that, like he was devoting his entire genius-level intellect to fucking him right, was somehow hotter than being pinned under his perfect, muscular body back at the gym.

The first finger was lining up against him, the lube still a few degrees too cold, but Rhys was determined not to shiver.

“Lift your hips a bit,” murmured Vaughn.

He obeyed without question, almost hypnotised as the finger traced tiny circles around his entrance before finally, _finally_ , sliding into him. For a moment Rhys tensed up, not from pain but the shock of the long-forgotten sensation, but when he met Vaughn’s concerned gaze he just smiled and tipped his head back.

“More,” he said, relaxing as he let go of the breath he was holding.

“You don’t have to prove anything to me,” said Vaughn. “You know that, right?”

Rhys just nodded once before grinding down onto his hand, an exaggerated roll of the hips leaving no question as to what he wanted; he knew that Vaughn understood when he felt the pressure shift inside him, going deeper for a moment before pulling back. It wasn’t even close to enough, but the promise of more had him desperately needing everything he could get.

Just as the second finger pressed up next to the first, Rhys felt Vaughn’s free hand slipping into his human palm, giving it a reassuring squeeze. His heart stuttered for reasons that had nothing to do with the two fingers that were now moving together in a slow, careful rhythm, the actual sensation somehow barely registering in the face of the fact that it was _Vaughn,_ and they were together at last, and he loved him.

He was brought back to reality full force as the touch grazed along the most sensitive place inside him. An involuntary whimper slipped out before he knew what had happened; Vaughn stilled for a moment, concern turning to amusement as he realised the meaning behind it.

“Well, that’s interesting,” he said in a low voice, looking down at Rhys who was still drifting back from that faraway place; another second and he had found the spot again, brushing deliberately against it in a way that made Rhys arch his back hard and cry for more.

“Fuck me, please,” he choked out.

“Just a little longer, bro,” promised Vaughn, and then there were three slicked-up fingers pressed into him, a strange but not unwelcome stretch that had him longing for the real thing. He wanted to feel that closeness, that pure friction – to give himself up and get everything in return. The pressure was close to overwhelming, but any suggestion of discomfort vanished beneath his breathless anticipation.

By the time the other man sidled up between his thighs, lifting his long, slim legs over his shoulders, Rhys could think of nothing beyond having that hard cock buried deep inside him. Vaughn had to hold him down by the hips to stop him from pushing down too eagerly against him. “Easy,” he murmured, only letting go when Rhys pouted and forced himself to hold still.

Vaughn fumbled with the lube again, the first break in his composure as he applied a generous amount to his cock. Part of Rhys felt insulted at the implication that he wouldn’t be able to take it, but as he watched his boyfriend give himself a few experimental pumps he was mostly grateful for the consideration. No matter how much he insisted otherwise, Vaughn was _impressive_.

He offered up a nervous smile, pulse hammering as he felt the tip resting against his entrance – but a small, reassuring kiss pressed to each calf told him everything was going to be fine.

“Ready?”

“ _So_ ready.”

Rhys took a deep breath and closed his eyes as the first inch slid into him, followed by the second, achingly slow. They stayed like that for a few heartbeats as he consciously forced himself to relax – it didn’t hurt, but it was still a shock to the system – and then Vaughn did it again, smoother this time around, and just knowing that he would soon be filled completely had him desperate for more.

“You feel so good,” Vaughn said quietly.

“Yeah?” He looked up, about to put on a smirk, but as soon their eyes met Rhys recognised the fire behind them.

Things were going to get intense.

He shifted his hips again to allow for a better angle, and the next thrust went deeper; this time Rhys adjusted to the pressure right away with an appreciative hum. The sensation had gone from tolerable to pleasant. Reaching down to stroke himself lightly with the tips of his fingers, he pressed himself against Vaughn as much as he could in the hope that he’d take the hint.

He did.

They started to move faster, Vaughn holding back less and less as he started to lose himself to instinct. He gripped Rhys’ thighs with both hands, eyes half-closed and hair starting to fall messily around his face as he fucked him properly at last. The thick, hard length inside him was everything Rhys had hoped for and fantasised about, forcing a loud whimper out of him every time it dragged along his nerves just the right way. Some distant part of his mind hoped he didn’t sound like he was faking it.

“Yes – _fuck_ yes – don’t stop,” he panted, bucking enthusiastically against Vaughn, who growled in response. His metal hand gripped the sheets, the other one preoccupied with jerking himself off until a surprisingly gentle touch wrapped around his wrist.

“I’ll take care of that,” said Vaughn with a sly half-grin. “I wanna make you come first.”

“Yeah?” answered Rhys, a shudder of delight beneath the bravado as he let his hand be pulled away. “You think you can last that long?”

“Mmm…let’s find out.”

When that hot, rough hand closed around his cock, still a little slippery with lube, he was less sure about his chances. Vaughn was giving his all, an attractive film of sweat on his forehead and chest as he slung one arm around both of Rhys’ knees to hold him firmly in position. He knew from experience that he would be aching tomorrow, but he didn’t care. All the sensations were tangling together, almost too much, every coherent thought obliterated as the universe shrank down to just the two of them.

His whimpers had graduated to desperate moans as he writhed shamelessly against the mattress, no longer caring what he looked or sounded like as long as Vaughn didn’t stop. If anything they seemed to encourage him.

“God, those fucking noises you make…” he hissed, gritting his teeth as he trailed off. Rhys laughed as much as he was able between shallow breaths, putting on a show of arching his back and parting his lips like a model. _Psychological warfare,_ he thought dimly before the words disappeared under waves of static.

He was so close now, only sheer willpower holding him back as the unbearable tension radiated throughout his body, an edge of anguish in his moans. He was on fire, the hand on his cock pumping in a maddening rhythm with the deep thrusts inside of him, but there was something he had to wait for, something he couldn’t remember –  

“Come for me, Rhys,” commanded Vaughn, and he was powerless to resist.

A blissful warmth filled his senses and every muscle in his body gave way at once, a loud cry of pleasure and relief slipping from his mouth as he let go. Somewhere at the edge of his consciousness he felt Vaughn shudder to a halt inside him, and knowing what it meant added something else to his satisfaction, that he’d been able to make him feel just as good. The rush faded, replaced by a quiet tingle that made him feel weightless.

He looked down as his vision cleared and his breathing started to go back to normal. Vaughn was pulling out carefully, using the back of his free hand to dab at the liquid on his chest before it could drip onto the bed. 

“That wasn’t fair,” protested Rhys, but he was smiling when he dragged Vaughn down into a kiss, not giving a damn about the rapidly drying mess between them.

“All’s fair in love and war, bro. Also, I was about to lose.”

“Well, we’ll just have to have a rematch sometime.”

“You’re on,” said Vaughn with a chuckle. “Although I’m going to need at _least_ one shower first. And probably a twelve-hour nap.”

“Eh, in a minute. Don’t ruin the afterglow.” Wrapping both arms around the other man, he held him tightly to his chest. A familiar exasperated sigh followed by an affectionate nuzzle was exactly the response he’d expected, and as his hands wandered across Vaughn’s broad, scarred shoulders he felt a surge of gratitude.

“That was amazing,” he murmured. There was so much more Rhys wanted to say, about how he’d never been with someone he loved that much, never felt so close to anyone in his life, but he put those thoughts away. It wasn’t the time.

“Yeah. You’re…really something, Rhys.” It was hard to reconcile this shy, quiet version of Vaughn with the one who’d fucked him to orgasm just minutes ago, but he hoped he would have plenty of opportunities to consider it.

“Love you.”

“I love you too. But if you don’t let me go have a shower right now, I’ll never forgive you.”

He let go with supreme reluctance, arms stretched out towards his boyfriend. “Leave some hot water for me?”

“ _Or_ you could get off your lazy butt and join me.”

“Aw, you love my lazy butt.”

Vaughn rolled his eyes. “I’m not even going to go there.”

“Too late,” he said with a smirk, and as he was hauled flailing over Vaughn’s shoulder he reflected that he’d at least won that one.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it! I still have a couple of gayperion fics in the pipeline but I'm always looking for inspiration~


End file.
